What is the current status of House Bill 4707 in the Michigan Senate?
Short answer
House Bill 4707 is currently pending review in the Michigan Senate. After passing the House of Representatives, the bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Elections and Ethics on August 26, 2025 [<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/bill/HB4707/2025">LegiScan Record: HB 4707</a>]. It has not yet been voted on by the full Senate.
What the bill or law says
The legislation proposes to ban ranked choice voting in elections conducted by the state, cities, and townships. It amends the Michigan Election Law to prohibit these entities from using any voting method where voters rank candidates by preference or select more candidates than there are positions to fill [<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/text/HB4707/id/3265820">Engrossed Bill Text</a>]. If enacted, the bill would declare any local ordinances authorizing such voting methods void and unenforceable [<a href="https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4707">Official Bill Page: HB 4707</a>].
How it works in practice
For the bill to become law, it must follow a specific legislative path. Having already passed the House with 57 yeas and 44 nays [<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/rollcall/HB4707/id/1600071">House Roll Call #177</a>], the measure moved to the upper chamber. The Senate leadership assigned it to the Committee on Elections and Ethics [<a href="https://legiscan.com/MI/bill/HB4707/2025">LegiScan Record: HB 4707</a>].
In this stage, committee members will review the bill’s text and potential impacts. If the committee recommends passage, the bill proceeds to the full Senate for debate and a vote. If the Senate passes the bill without changes, it goes to the Governor for signature. Because the House gave the bill immediate effect, it would take effect right away if signed into law. If the Senate makes amendments, the bill must return to the House for approval of those changes before moving forward.
What the source does not answer
The available records do not specify when the Senate Committee on Elections and Ethics will schedule a hearing or vote on the bill. There is no information regarding how many senators support or oppose the measure at this stage. Additionally, the sources do not predict whether the Governor will sign or veto the bill if it reaches their desk. No timeline is provided for how long the committee review process might take.